Electric car charging stations picking up momentum in Marin

The latest electric vehicle charging station in Marin was unveiled Thursday in Sausalito and more are on the way as the county begins to embrace the technology while the number of alternative fuel vehicles locally continues to grow.

The new station at Mollie Stone's market will give an opportunity for electric car driver Tom Relyea to power up his Nissan Leaf while he is at lunch.

"I eat here every day," said Relyea, who runs South Beach Riggers on Harbor Drive near the market. "This is perfect for me. If you are able to plug in anywhere you don't have that range anxiety."

Relyea's Leaf gets between 50 and 100 miles on a full charge, with mileage depending on how fast he drives. While most electric car users charge at home, vehicle batteries can wear down on longer trips. The more charging stations that are available, the more convenient the cars become, he said.

"The growth of these stations and cars is absolutely meteoric," said Mike DiNucci, a vice president with Chargepoint, which provided the station at Mollie Stone's.

In Marin, six months ago there were 200 electrical vehicles registered with the state's Department of Motor Vehicles. Today there are 400.

"By the end of the year, we estimate that number will double or triple again," DiNucci said. "People should be able to charge where they work, where they shop and where they dine and where they see movies."

A charging station services electric vehicles and hybrids that have a plug for electricity. Charging rates vary.

At Mollie Stone's the first hour is free, then $2.50 for every 30 minutes thereafter. The cost to travel a mile on electricity is about four cents a mile, versus 40 cents a mile for gasoline.

Some businesses see the stations as a way to draw customers to their stores while cars charge, DiNucci said.

"Marin is a very green community, but there are not a ton of charging stations in the county," he said.

The U.S. Department of Energy lists a dozen stations in Marin. But that will change this year. The county has received two grants from the state for charging stations and has plans to install 17 around Marin in the coming six months, according to the Transportation Authority of Marin.

"We want to look at malls and the places where people shop," said Dianne Steinhauser, executive director of the authority.

Late last year, the San Anselmo Town Council approved the installation of four electric vehicle charging stations on town property in the Magnolia Avenue parking lot. Each station will have one 110-volt port and one 240-volt port.

The preliminary design of an ambitious program to create a northern gateway to the Marin Civic Center campus will include electric car charging stations as well.

The Transportation Authority of Marin believes tens of thousands of electric vehicles will be driven in the Bay Area in the near future, noting cars like the Leaf and Chevy Volt are being mass marketed.

Federal, state, and private funds are becoming available to help cover the costs of charging station equipment and installation, which cost about $10,000.

"As we move forward we want to make sure the charging network in Marin is strong," Steinhauser said.